PDD News Sieve
R.I.P. Mike’s Western Cafe
In an Oct. 7 Facebook post, Mike and Deb Pracher announced the closing of their family restaurant at 2803 W. Superior St. in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District.
“With heavy hearts, we will be closing the doors of Mike’s Western Cafe after 38 years of business,” they wrote. “Thank you so much for your support over the years. We have met so many people, made lots of great friendships and made MANY lasting memories. We appreciate all of you more than you know. Thank you for everything.”
Mike Pracher told Fox-21 he was 23 years old when he bought the restaurant. He said the COVID-19 pandemic led to its demise. “I thought it was going to be a week, two, or three,” Pracher said. “It’s already been six months and I just can’t wait it out.”
Pracher also told Fox 21 he might someday open a restaurant in Carlton County.
Julie Gard’s Invocation for Learning and Safety
University of Wisconsin-Superior Professor of Writing Julie Gard recently had a poem featured in the Career Advice section of Inside Higher Ed, an online publication focused on college and university topics. More information on the poem is available in the academics news section of the UWS website.
Duluth General Election Sample Ballot 2020
As usual, the ballot in this year’s General Election is not the same for everyone in Duluth. People who live on the western side of town will see the District 3 County Commissioner race shown above. Those on the east side of Duluth will instead see Patrick Boyle running unopposed in District 2. People in the center of the city will not see a County Commissioner race because District 1 Commissioner Frank Jewell is not up for reelection.
Voters in central and western Duluth neighborhoods will see the District 7B Minnesota State Representative race shown on the ballot above. Those in the northern portions of the Duluth Heights and Kenwood neighborhoods will see the District 3B Minnesota State Representative race between Republican Andrew J. Hjelle the Democratic-Farmer-Labor incumbent Mary Murphy. Voters on the eastern side of Duluth will see the District 7A Minnesota State Representative race between Republican Tom Sullivan and Democratic-Farmer-Labor incumbent Jennifer Schultz.
And don’t forget the judicial races are on the back side. (more…)
Global art dealer Arne Glimcher grew up in Duluth
Pace Gallery founder Arne Glimcher was recently profiled in WSJ Magazine, the news and lifestyle monthly published by the Wall Street Journal. The article notes: “Glimcher grew up on a ranch in Duluth, Minnesota, until his artistic talent led his mother to move the family to Boston.”
Pace Gallery has locations in New York, Palo Alto, London, Geneva, Hong Kong and Seoul.
Glimcher has also produced and directed films such as The Mambo Kings and Just Cause.
Sean Hill: “A Photograph Taken in Duluth”
Ten years ago this month, poet Sean Hill was featured in Missouri Review‘s “Poem of the Week” series with a piece about the Duluth lynchings. Click the graphic above to read to the poem.
Duluth’s North Star Festival and Golden Jubilee of 1920
The Duluth Public Library’s Vintage Duluth blog has published a feature on Duluth’s North Star Festival and Golden Jubilee, which took place 100 years ago. The events marked Duluth’s 50th year as a city. (more…)
R.I.P. Mark Sertich, world’s oldest hockey player
Duluth’s Mark Sertich, the world’s oldest hockey player, was still skating on his 99th birthday in July. He died on Monday from complications of a stroke. (more…)
Duluth 2020 Primary Election Results
Absentee ballots will continue to be accepted after election day, but below are the statewide numbers for races relevant to Duluth with all precincts reporting. (more…)
Jade Fountain tiki bar opens Aug. 7
The new Jade Fountain tiki bar has its grand opening scheduled for Friday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m. The space will be limited to 50 patrons at a time due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19. Drinks will be pre-made for additional safety. (more…)
Duluth 2020 Primary Election Sample Ballot
Depending on where you live, your ballot might look slightly different than the sample shown here. All Minnesota ballots, however, have a slate of partisan races that are divided on the front and back, and it’s potentially confusing. (more…)
An exotic village on the Lester River
Barbara Kiser, a former Duluthian who has lived in London since the 1980s, has published an essay that prominently references the Lester River Fish Hatchery. The article appears on Arizona State University’s Zócalo Public Square, which syndicates “ideas journalism.”
Article link: Where I Go: From Northeast London Back to Duluth (more…)
Missing Person: Maxwell Willis
Update: Maxwell Willis and his vehicle have been located. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the citizen tipsters who contacted law enforcement, which led to his whereabouts.
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing person from the Ely/Winton area. Maxwell Willis has not been heard from since June 18, and family and friends are concerned for his welfare.
Willis was last seen in the Winton area — about 80 miles north of Duluth — driving a black 1995 Chevy Tahoe with larger tires, bearing Minnesota license 6CD551.
Anyone who knows of Willis’s whereabouts, has seen him or his vehicle, or has had contact with him, is asked to contact the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office by calling 911.
Max Mason pardoned in century-old rape case
The Minnesota Board of Pardons has approved the posthumous pardon of Max Mason, a circus worker convicted of raping Irene Tusken in 1920. The incident in Duluth is better known for the fates of three others accused: Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie, all three victims of a lynch mob. (more…)
Duluth 2020 Primary Election Primer
Minnesota’s presidential primary is three months in the past, with Joseph Biden winning the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination and Donald J. Trump unopposed as the Republican Party nominee. Other parties will field presidential candidates on the General Election ballot on Nov. 3, but the Primary Election on Aug. 11 will have no presidential candidates. There are also no city of Duluth or Duluth School Board races, although one school board candidate is running unopposed. (more…)
Duluthian questions if it necessary for protesters to be black
It seems nothing is “too soon” for the Onion. Amid protests and riots following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, the satirical news website published a story with a Duluth dateline in which a “local man” questions “the necessity of protestors being black.”
Duluth’s Lark o’ the Lake Café won’t reopen
2016 photo by Lissa Maki
Representatives of Lark o’ the Lake Café announced on Facebook yesterday that their eatery in the Greysolon Plaza will not reopen. It has been closed since mid-March, when Minnesota restaurants were ordered to cease dine-in service as part of the Stay-at-home Order related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)
Noodles the black bear visits Miller Hill Mall
Ryan Carlson, a security officer at Duluth’s Miller Hill Mall, shot this image of a black bear trying to pay a visit to the Noodles & Company restaurant at the mall’s main entrance around 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Katie Altrichter Kaz, the mall’s general manager, posted the image on Facebook and wrote that she’s named the bear Noodles and considers it the mall’s new mascot.
A Homegrown Cameo
During Dance Attic’s Virtual Homegrown show, festival founder Scott “Starfire” Lunt wandered into the yard to sing along on a few Homegrown favorites. You can find the whole Dance Attic outdoor set at this link.
Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Margie Nelson’s Mix
Available now for free download on Bandcamp, 20 tracks of local rawk and/or roll selected by former Homegrown Board President Margie Nelson.
It’s the 12th mix in the Homegrown Music Festival‘s series of compilations highlighting music that has shaped the Duluth scene. View the full discography at …
duluthhomegrown.bandcamp.com/music.
R.I.P. Dr. Robert Powless
Dr. Robert Powless (Photo by Ivy Vainio)
Dr. Robert Powless, former director of the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, died on April 25. (more…)
New York Times: Preus’ new novel for youth “charming”
Duluth author Margi Preus gets positive ink in the New York Times Book Review for her new novel for young people, The Littlest Voyageur.
Gaelynn Lea – “Rebuild”
Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea has released a new track titled “Rebuild.” It is available on Spotify and Bandcamp. (more…)